Being Picky or Just Cautious?

[daisybsn]

Hi there! So I've been a nurse for 5 years and I worked at 4 different hospitals where I know yellow/red flags when I see them. However, I keep hearing a lot of nurses say with the 1st travel assignment you have to just take whatever comes your way, but still also trust your gut. I turned down an L&D offer for Rex Hospital in Raleigh b/c some things sounded a bit sketcy, and may turn down the Dartmouth-Hitchcock in Lebanon, NH b/c Lebanon is a rural city and that's not exactly the ideal location I want. I wanted my 1st start to be somewhere in TN, MO, KY, VA, SC, or NC. I didn't really want TX b/c I lived there for 2 1/2 yrs, but at the way jobs are looking; I'm more open to it now. I'm sure my recruiters are getting a little frustrated with me, but I've had bad experiences of just getting excited to have a job offer and taking it and not being happy with it at all.

Ben Taub in Houston offered me a job w/o an interview...never a good sign. I more than likely will turn them down b/c my friend said that place is not good at all. I'm also applying for Aurora Med Center in Kenosha, WI (just to have an application out b/c I know that's a random city). I've applied to Memorial Hermann in Houston, Medical City Dallas, Johns Hopkins Bayview in Baltimore, and Christus Santa Rosa in San Antonio. Does anyone have any opinions on these hospitals?

I'm just trying to still remain optimistic, and not get discouraged. I'm just hoping Memorial Hermann, Christus Santa Rosa, and Johns Hopkins Bayview are very good hospitals and something comes up from either one of these places.

[spankssnowbunny]

I PM'd you.

[NedRN]

L&D nurses can afford to be picky, even on their first assignment! But every place has something. Dartmouth is a major teaching hospital that will look good on your resume, and you may find that in rural areas, especially ones with lots of travelers, that you may find it easy to quickly make friends and do a lot of things together.

I wouldn't be too concerned about hiring without an interview, basically that is what every manager would like to do based on your profile. Usually interviews are about getting you to come, not screening you - they already know they want you. Hospitals that routinely don't interview usually use a lot of travelers and individual decisions are just not that important to them. You are there for three months and then there will be another traveler. Such hospitals have pluses and minuses (like all hospitals) - at least they are used to travelers. But if you have heard they have a bad working environment (not very surprising in Texas), of course skip it.

[daisybsn]

Thanks a bunch for the info. I am leaning towards a hospital in Matthews, NC that does about 100 deliveries a month through CCTC, and am also going to see what AMN has to offer as well. I just don't think right now I want to be at Dartmouth. More of a personal choice. I think right now it would be good for me to just get one assignment under my belt and go from there. Hoping the 1st one is a good one and doesn't taint me. =)

[spankssnowbunny]

Go with an open mind and be prepared for anything. I'm sure you will do well.